A Different Kind of Life
by miss-eee
Summary: The life they've made for themselves is so different than the life they lived in Riverdale, will returning home change everything? Rated M, just in case
1. Chapter 1

He woke early, the morning sun beating in thru the windows. He showered quietly, not wanting to awake the sleeping beauty that laid beside him in his bed. He didn't want to wake her, he had a few errands to run before their flight in the afternoon, and she looked so beautiful and peaceful. He sat back, watching her and taking all of her in. In a few short hours, she would don a cardigan sweater, and pull her hair back into a tight ponytail. He would spend the next several days, watching her, pretending to still be the girl she was years ago. He would watch as she clenched her fists into her palms, taking the onslaught of opinions from her mother, watch as her eyes danced and laughed with old friends, watch as she struggled to connect with her sister. He had been in love with her since he was 5, but right now, in this moment, he didn't think he had ever loved her more. Her long blonde hair was twisted up into a knot, little curls and frizzes creating a halo around her head. Her long tanned legs stretched and curved around the blanket, which was haphazardly thrown over her. Her thin white t-shirt was bunched around her waist, the small of her back exposed where the t-shirt didn't meet the blanket, and he knew if she were to roll over, her breasts would be exposed through the thin material. She was an angel, an angel that had only ever been his.

He leaned down, gently kissing her forehead, and she stirred slightly, her hand slipping out from under the pillow to reach up for his.

"Juggie." Her voice was soft and raspy, that first morning sound barely slipping from her lips. "Come back to bed." Oh, how much he wanted to. He was struggling at the sight of her, not to climb back into the bed that they shared, to wake her with his mouth on hers, peppering kisses down her stomach, between her legs, until she was fully awake.

"Bets, I've got an errand to run, I'll be back in an hour or so. But we need to leave for the airport at 11, so make sure you're ready when I get back." Knowing the week they had ahead of them, staying at her parents, he knew they wouldn't much time to be alone like this, but he had already wasted time watching her sleep.

After high school graduation, he and Betty had moved to California for college. Well, she had moved to California for college, and he had followed her. They had a small apartment, not far from the ocean, where they liked to spend most of their free time paddle boarding or kayaking, strolling the beach or hiking the trails. After college, she had taken a job teaching English at a local high school, and she served as the faculty advisor for the student newspaper. He spent the days either working on his novel, or tending bar down the street from their apartment. They lived a life so differently than they did back home. Back in Riverdale, Betty had been the perfect student and perfect daughter, here in California, away from the grasp of Alice Cooper, she had learned to relax, learned to truly laugh, and figured a way to find herself. Somewhere in the sand and the sun, she had become this person who was fierce and stubborn, but carefree and free-spirited. She had managed to shed that perfect girl image of herself, and found she was happiest with her wild blond waves falling free, or braided back, her cardigan sweaters traded for flowy dresses and skirts. The sun had been good for him too, he was still brooding, but less dark, still the trademark crown beanie, but shorter raven-haired waves. His chest and arms had filled out, spending time in the water and on the beach had done more than darken his skin tone. He still preferred jeans and a flannel, but depending on the weather, he had a steady rotation of grey and black t-shirts he wore too.

Late November in Laguna called for jeans and a flannel, the cold wind coming in off the ocean. He pulled his beanie down further on his head, and hustled through the parking garage to his truck. Just a short drive off Laguna Ave, he found the place he was looking for. A small store front, something he would have overlooked had she not pointed it out a few weeks earlier on one of their walks thru town. He pushed thru the doors, and was overwhelmed by the large glass cabinets and display cases that peppered the room. This marked his third trip to the little store, but he found himself feeling more nervous than he had been the first time he stepped through the doors.

"Ahh, Mr. Jones!" An older lady stepped from behind the counter, arms outstretched, greeting him like an old friend.

"Hi, Julia. I got your call earlier in the week that everything was ready, sorry I didn't make it over sooner."

"No problem, no problem! Everything is all ready, let me go get your package!" Julia quickly returned from the back of the store, carrying a small package. "Would you like to see it?"

"I'm sure it's perfect, thank you! We've got a flight home this afternoon, so I need to be going." He reached out to shake the old lady's hand, taking note of the smile that was spread across her face.

"Make sure you two stop in here when you get back, I need to know how she likes the final product!" She had been so helpful through all of this process, working with him to help him select the pieces and design, he had no doubt the final piece of work was beautiful.

He hurried out of the store, back to his truck, and back to the apartment. He was right. He was greeted at the door by a beautiful blonde Betty Cooper, hair in a tight ponytail, perfect make-up accentuating her features, pale pink cardigan over a louse white blouse, dark straight jeans. Back to the perfect Riverdale Betty Cooper.

* * *

Jughead had taken longer than planned to run his errand, which resulted in them running through the airport after being caught up in the line at security. Betty was seething. He knew she didn't like going home, but she felt like he'd taken too long on purpose, hoping to miss their flight and have to stay in California for the holiday.

She disliked going home just as much as he did, but her best friend from high school, Veronica Lodge, would absolutely kill them if they missed their flight. The girls had a full day of dress shopping and wedding planning scheduled for tomorrow, and Veronica's bridal shower on Saturday, all planned just because Betty Cooper would be home. He knew she was excited to see her friends, and spend time with her older sister Polly and the twins, but it was her mother she dreaded seeing. Her mother was overbearing and pushed Betty to be perfect, not allowing for failure from her youngest daughter. He smirked, thinking of what Alice Cooper would say to Betty if she showed up in jeans and a t-shirt, or one of her flowy dresses or skirts that she favored in California. No, her mother expected her to be the living example of a Stepford Daughter- perfect hair, perfect makeup, perfect matching cardigan set.

They reached the gate just in time for the final boarding call, and the plane hadn't even taxied onto the runway before the beautiful blonde had curled up next to him and closed her eyes, her arm linked under his, her head on his shoulder. He stared out the window, watching the bright sun and the white clouds roll by, headed back to that place they had both came from, and the place they avoided as much as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

Betty Cooper navigated the airport like she navigated her life, with a sense of ease and confidence that exuded perfection in everything she did. Only 30 minutes after their flight landed, they were loading their bags into the car they were renting for the week. She reached for his hand as he guided them onto the expressway, driving in the direction of the town they avoided. Something about being back here, made her feel like she was inadequate, because she had not chosen the life path her mother wanted for her. Lawyer, New York, husband who wears suits. Instead, she had teacher, California, boyfriend who wears a beanie every day. She could tell her mother how happy and content she was with her life a thousand times, and that would never be good enough for Alice Cooper. _Wasted talent_ is what her mother called it.

She squeezed the hand that she was holding tighter, and looked up to meet his gaze. Those dark brown eyes sent shivers down her back, the way he looked at her made her feel like he could see into her soul. She was so thankful he was here with her, he understood completely her hatred for the town that had been their home the first 18 years of their lives. Last Christmas, she had come back to Riverdale for the holiday, but he had gone to Toledo visit his parents, and she had decided she'd never endure another trip home without him by her side. All too soon, the rental car was pulling into the driveway of the perfect white house with the perfect white picket fence. She leaned into him, kissing him softly, squeezing his hand one last time, before stepping out into the cool New England fall.

The bags were barely from the trunk when the front door to the perfect house on Elm Street opened, the tall blonde matriarch standing in the doorway in a matching blue sweater set and tan pants.

"You're late. Dinner came out of the oven almost 30 minutes ago." The tone of her voice was both demanding and demeaning, and Betty reached up to tighten her ponytail before stepping past her mother, into the house that she had grown up in.

"Nice to see you, Mrs. Cooper." She heard Jughead's raspy voice behind her, and turned just in time to see her mother pull him in for an embrace. _What in the world._ Never, in the 25 years that they had been friends, the past 9 spent dating, had Alice Cooper ever showed any sign of affection or endearment towards Jughead Jones. Her mother tolerated Jughead, in the sense that she had always held out a hope that her daughter would meet someone else, fall in love with someone else, and move on from the boy from the wrong side of the tracks.

Her mind was still reeling with what she had just witnessed, when her father stepped into the living room, passing her by with a quiet "welcome home, Elizabeth," before pushing past her and reaching out to shake Jughead's hand. _Seriously, what is wrong with my parents?_

Her thoughts were interrupted by a squealing little voice and tiny little arms reaching up to her. "Aunt Betty!" A mess of red curls, she reached out to pick up her niece, who at 8 years old was tiny, but not as little as she had been the last time Betty had been home.

"Well hello, little one! At least you're happy I'm home!" She kissed the little mess of curls before placing Ella back down on the ground.

"She's not the only one whose glad you're home, Bets, Mom and Dad just have a weird way of showing it." She looked up, to see her older sister Polly had entered the room, chasing after the little red headed boy, Jason, who was Ella's twin.

"Yes, we're all glad you're home, Betty. Now wash up so we can eat." Her mother's happiness at seeing Jughead had seemed to fade, because her voice was stern. _Always the disappointment._

Dinner passed somewhat uneventfully. Her parents had grilled her about her work, her school and her students, but Jughead had seemed to be excluded from the interrogation by her parents. They knew he worked at a bar and wrote in his free time, which was far from their ideal, so she was confused as to why they didn't feel the need to pepper him with questions the way they did her. Sure, she was thankful her parents had finally seemed to accept the boy from the wrong side of the tracks that Betty had chosen to love and spend her life with, but the way they had fawned over him when they came in, and the way they weren't questioning him about his life, made Betty feel like something was amiss.

After a full day of traveling, Betty was more than ready for bed after dinner. She carried her bag upstairs to her childhood bedroom, and was surprised to see that her mother had already placed Jughead's bag in her room as well. After years of making him sleep on the couch when they came to visit, it seemed her mother had suddenly decided he could sleep in the same bedroom as her daughter. Not like they hadn't been living together for the last, 7 years. _What is with this sudden Jughead acceptance?_

"Your mom said I've been upgraded to the bedroom." He came into the room with a laugh on his face, and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Should I tell her about how I slept here most of our junior year? All those nights I climbed in through the window." His hands trailed up her arms, and he spun her around to reach up to her face, holding her chin in his hand.

"Juggie, I don't think we should push my parents' sudden acceptance of you." She met his eyes with a dancing smirk, teasing him but not pushing him too far.

"I know. Netflix and chill? I'm thinking Rebel Without A Cause, for old-time sake."

She changed into her pajamas, which consisted of an old pair of cotton shorts and a t-shirt of Jughead's that she'd been sleeping in since she stole it from his closet their senior year of high school. She curled up next to him on her childhood bed, resting her head on his chest, as he turned on the TV in her room, and flicked through Netflix until he found what he was looking for. Tomorrow meant breakfast early at Pop's with Veronica and her fiancé Archie, followed by a full day of bridal shopping, dinner with Veronica's mother, and meeting some other friends at a local bar for the annual tradition of 'drinking until you can't remember why you hate coming home' that occurred every Wednesday before Thanksgiving. She was tired, exhausted from travelling, her parents' weird behavior and her niece and nephew. She wrapped her arm under his, and slinked off to sleep, thankful that she had him to face the place they avoided with.

* * *

She stirred slowly in her bed, the sun beaming in through the white curtains. The house was quiet, she checked her phone and saw it was just after 7. _Shit._ They had to meet Veronica and Archie for breakfast in a half hour. She jumped out of bed, shaking Jughead as she gathered her stuff to head for the shower.

"Juggie, we've got to hurry. We're going to be late." He hardly moved, rolling over and reaching for her hand.

"Can't we just take a raincheck? We'll be with them all night."

"Jug, you know Veronica won't go for that. Besides, you and Archie only have to do breakfast and then you can head back to his house and play video games and nap all afternoon. I've got to get in the shower, please at least change your shirt."

A few minutes later, her hair was dried and gathered in a knot on the top of her head, and she was donning a dark pair of jeans and a pale pink pullover sweater as her and Jughead ran out the door, and turned the rental car towards town. They were meeting Veronica and Archie at Pop's Chocklite Shoppe, a small diner in town that was famous for burgers, milkshakes and a sense of nostalgia. She reached for his hand as he held the door open, the red and grey booths welcoming them home. A quick glance around and she found their two best friends sitting in the regular booth by the window. The raven-haired beauty who had waltzed into her life her sophomore year of high school and became something of a second sister to her, stood up to pull her into a hug as they approached the booth.

"Welcome home! You're late!"

"Sorry, V. It's still 4 in the morning in California." No wonder she was so exhausted.

"Your tan is amazing! It really pops with that pink." Her dark-haired friend favored dark colors, black, greys, plums, while Betty in Riverdale was the exact opposite, pastels mostly. Betty in California preferred whatever she grabbed from the closet, which consisted of mostly neutrals- browns and tans, small pops of color.

Betty had grown up with Jughead and Veronica's fiancé, Archie. The three of them had been nearly inseparable. Their sophomore year, Veronica Lodge had rolled into town, and right into the arms of Archie Andrews. When they were younger, Betty had always thought she'd marry the boy next door, whose window looked out directly into hers. But that year, something changed in her friendship with Jughead, and she started to see him as more than just her dark and brooding best friend, he was handsome and intriguing. Their friendship had developed into something more over many late-night sessions working on the student paper, the Blue and Gold. Veronica was a trust fund baby, her father was a real estate mogul, and although he did time when they were in high school for fraud and embezzlement, he'd managed to still secure her a pretty decent future, meaning she didn't have to work. She threw herself into managing Archie's music career, they had spent time in New York and Nashville before he took a job teaching music at Riverdale High, and they had moved home a little over a year ago. The four of them had not all been together in about 4 years, since Archie and Veronica had come to visit Betty and Jughead in California. The small talk continued until their plates of food were placed in front of them.

"So Bets, did your mom tell you the high school is looking for an English teacher? Apparently, Ms. Collins is retiring after the first of the year." She noticed as the grip Jughead had on her hand tightened. She had known, her mother called her last week, but she hadn't discussed it with him yet. Moving back to Riverdale wasn't really something they wanted, they avoided coming home as much as possible, but they planned on starting a family in a few years, and she'd thought it'd be nice to be closer to her family, however dysfunctional it may be.

"She did. She also mentioned that no one is running the Blue and Gold, and maybe I could start it back up again." She looked over, and saw the hurt and disgust on Jughead's face.

"Thanks for letting me know, Betty. I'll see you guys tonight." She watched as he grabbed the bill off the table, stopping at the counter to pay before heading out to his car. She sat there, stunned, as Archie apologized and slipped out to drive away with him.

"Betty, I'm sorry. Archie's excited. He wants you guys to move back here. We both do. I'm sorry, I think he figured you'd already talked it over with Jughead." Betty looked over at Veronica with tears in her eyes, thankful her friend was driving.

"Ronnie, I don't want to move back here. Neither does he. Yeah, it'd be nice to be closer to family when we start our own family, but that might not be for years. I know Archie and my mom are excited about the possibility of us moving back, but it's not really something we're considering right now. And now he's going to spend the entire day mad at me, thinking we came home for the holidays to look at houses in Riverdale because I'm taking a job at the high school. Can we just forget about it? Today is about you."

Veronica had insisted on going to this upscale salon a few towns over, and to be honest, the thought of bridal dress shopping terrified Betty Cooper. She struggled through navigating a sea of white dresses for Veronica, and blush colored dresses for her, but Veronica seemed to thrive in this environment. She was pulling dresses from the racks that made Betty squirm, all this lace and beading and horrendous chiffon, but when Veronica would slip into them, she looked like something from a fairy tale. Of course, her best friend was the definition of exquisite, but seeing her dark hair and olive skin contrast with the soft whites of the wedding gowns, she looked like something straight from a movie.

After falling in love with a gorgeous princess ballgown with a sweetheart neckline and beaded bodice, Veronica turned her attention towards finding the perfect blush colored dress for her best friend/maid of honor. Betty cringed as she tried on dress after dress after dress, before selecting a simple flowy chiffon number with a wrapped waist and sweetheart neckline. As the two girls stood side by side in the mirror, Veronica gave her nod of approval. Betty had to admit, she was thankful the appointment had not taken as long as she thought, and that it'd gotten her mind off of the fact that she hadn't heard from Jughead all day, despite sending him numerous messages.

The two friends grabbed a late lunch at a restaurant on the way back into town, before heading to Veronica's parents apartment to get ready for the evening. When she was in high school, Riverdale was home to only one bar, a seedy biker bar on the southside of town, but in the years since she'd been gone, the business men of the northside had pooled together and opened a new bar, called Sweetwater Bar and Grill, funded by Veronica's dad and managed by Archie's. Sweetwater Bar had adapted this odd tradition of hosting an unofficial high school reunion on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and although Betty was looking forward to seeing some people from high school, she mostly just wanted to sit in a booth at Pop's with Jughead, Veronica and Archie.

Betty had packed only one dress that California Betty would wear, a black jersey knit dress with an open back that flared and twirled. Knowing how things had ended with Jughead earlier, she was thankful this was the dress she had grabbed, because she knew his favorite place to see it was on the floor of their bedroom. Damage control in the form of a little black dress.

 **A/N** : Thanks for all the follows/favorites! Much appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

As he pulled the rental car into the gravel lot, he could already hear the bass pounding from inside the bar. Riverdale had this weird thing with the seasons, it was only late November, but it felt like a mid-January night, cold and snowy. It had only been 7 years since graduation, only 4 years since he'd been back in Riverdale, and yet everything seemed so different but still so the same. Pop's was still brightly lit, offering the best milkshake and burgers he'd ever had, the high school still had the same groups of people, just a few years younger than him now. He didn't come back much; his family wasn't here anymore; his dad had moved to Toledo to be closer to Jughead's sister after he got out of prison. He lived a different kind of life in California, he had found his place, but Riverdale still felt like home.

He turned off the car, and stepped inside the dimly lit bar. Josie and The Pussy Cat Dolls were playing, a hard rock-pop tune. He wasn't overly excited to be here, especially knowing how things had gone with Betty over breakfast this morning. He knew she wanted to move back here eventually, but he thought eventually meant several years from now, not a few months. Yes, the job was ideal, and he could work at a bar and write his novel anywhere, but he wished she would have at least mentioned it to him before Archie brought it up.

As soon as they were in the door, he remembered who Archie had been in high school. Varsity football captain, guitar genius extraordinaire. His tall red-headed friend was instantly bombarded by a group of equally tall and built meatheads, pushing Jughead aside. He stepped up to the bar, ordering himself a whiskey and Coke. He glanced around, but it only took a minute before he saw her. She had always had a magnet pull on him.

Sandwiched between the raven-haired beauty and the tall brunette, was his beautiful blonde. Her hair was straight down her back, she had on a black skater dress that both flattered and swayed when she moved. _Of course she wore that dress._ She knew how much he loved it, something about the way the skirt twirled when she walked, the open back, drove him crazy. He watched her, drink in hand, as she swayed and danced and laughed. This was the Betty Cooper he lived with in California, carefree and full of life.

The song ended, and the three friends collapsed into each other in a mess of laughter and drinks. "V- over here!" Archie called out to the raven-haired girl as the three friends staggered away from the dance floor.

"Jughead Jones!" The tall brunette, Kevin Keller, screeched from halfway across the bar. He'd been spotted. The blonde made her way over to him, and slipped her arm under his, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

"Hi Juggie" She breathed, and he pulled her in close. She smelled of alcohol, vanilla and a hint of coconut. She leaned up for another kiss, and whispered in his mouth "I've missed you."

"I missed you too, Bets. How was dress shopping?" He watched her as she rolled her eyes, and leaned in closer to him, struggling to stand up right.

"Juggie," Her voice was drawling and raspy as she whispered in his ear. "I'm so sorry."

"Bets, not right now. Let's just enjoy tonight, we can talk tomorrow." He leaned down and kissed her, needing her to feel how sorry he was.

"Ahhm, Mr. and Mrs. Jones, can you please refrain from making up in the middle of my dad's bar." He pulled away from Betty's lips, struggling as she sighed slightly at the loss of contact. He squeezed her hand, and glared over at Veronica, who could only laugh at Betty's response.

A steady stream of people seemed to stop by their little table. Reggie Mantle came to brag about his conquest of some former River Vixen in the bathroom. Cheryl Blossom stopped by to gush with Betty about how big their niece and nephew were. Moose Mason stopped by to proposition Kevin to meet him outside in 5 minutes. Every so often, Betty would squeeze his hand, or twirl her thumb around his, and his heart would stop. She seemed to come alive talking with their old friends, she seemed so much like the Betty he knew in California.

The night wore on, drinking and dancing and dancing and drinking. When the bartender called for last call, Betty Cooper wiggled her way under his arm again, and muttered softly, "take me home, Jughead."

"Are we all crashing at our place? Inner Circle sleepover?" Veronica asked as they paid the waitress for their drinks. As much as he wanted to take Betty back to her parents and ravish her in her childhood bedroom, he'd forgotten about the 'sleepover' Veronica and Archie had planned.

"I'm riding with Jughead" Betty announced as the five friends walked outside and headed to their cars. _As if she would ride with anyone else._

She slid into the passenger seat of their rental, and he wasn't even out of the parking lot before she had reached over, sliding her hand up the leg of his jeans and he could feel himself getting harder at her touch. Her hand was expertly close to undoing his zipper, when he pulled the car off to the side of the road, and pulled her around to his lap.

"Juggie, I was having fun…" the blonde whimpered sounding of both flirtation and desperation.

"Oh, I know. Now its my turn." He slid his hand up her thigh, covering her neck with kisses, trailing off to her shoulders, and back to her mouth. She groaned as she grinded against his hard jeans. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and trailed her fingers thru his hair, pulling him closer to her.

"I need you, Jug..." He watched as she was quivering under his touch, and he couldn't make her wait any longer. He slid his hand up further, between her thighs, and found her warmth. She was already wet through the lace panties she wore, and he groaned as he thrust one finger inside her, then two. She rocked into him, her blonde hair falling over both of them. As his thumb found her bundle of nerves, she screamed, her body shaking with ecstasy on top of his. He grabbed her chin and pulled her close, and bit her lip as she sighed his name. She was like an angel, with her blonde hair and dewy skin, sent from heaven just for him.

Something about that little black dress she had packed, she knew exactly what she was doing to him. He needed more of her, but not like this, drunkenly on the side of the road.

Their little excursion would have to be continued later. If they didn't make it the Veronica's, she would send a search party out after them. Pulling into the long winding drive, Jughead could feel Betty's pulse racing through the grip he had on her hand. It was hard to sit through pizza and beers and more catching up. It was hard to sit through John Wick 2, when all he wanted to do was carry Betty upstairs and throw her onto the bed. She fell asleep curled up in the seat with him, her head on his chest. He was the last one up, always being the insomniac.

* * *

"It's so bright, close the shade V!" Betty Cooper's head was pounding and her mouth was dry. She wanted hours of sleep, so she pulled her head under the blankets.

"Betty- Ronnie made breakfast, but it's already 10, we need to be back to your parents by 3 for dinner." She pulled the sheets back, and watched as the tall black-haired man of her dreams walked into the room. He pulled the curtains closed, and handed her a glass of water and some aspirin. "I'll make you fresh eggs and toast if you're hungry."

"I don't think I could think about eating… except a burger... and some onion rings… I'm starving! Can we go to Pop's?"

"Maybe for milkshakes after dinner. Why don't you try to get some sleep?" She marveled up at him, dark jeans and an old t-shirt, how was he so handsome. She had been in love with him since she was 16, but it felt like a lifetime. He had always held her heart, he had only ever been the only one. "I can't sleep if you're in the same room as me. We need to finish what we started last night…" She slowly crept off the bed (fast movements would not be good), and wrapped her arms around his. She nuzzled into his chest, and he leaned down to grab her chin, pulling her face up for a kiss.

"Betty. You need to brush your teeth." Ugh, she could taste the alcohol on her breathe. "Shower too?" She said, as she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the bathroom.

Freshly cleaned, the warm water running over his chiseled stomach, she ran kisses down his neck, his chest, his abs. She slid her hand down his thigh, and felt his body quiver at her touch. Her eyes never strayed from his, as she wrapped both hands around his length and tugged playfully, before flicking his tip with her tongue. He let out a moan and his body jerked forward, as she slipped him into her mouth, sucking and twirling. She kept one hand on his ass for support, and one reached to grip his balls.

"Betty- I need you." He moaned at her. "I need to be inside you."

Without letting him release himself, she stood up, grabbing his hand and placing it between her legs so he could feel her wetness. She lost her footing a little, grabbing the shower curtain rod to keep from falling, as he pushed her up against the side of the shower and thrust into her in one swift motion.

"OHMYGOD…" She screamed, still a little unsteady from her wild night of drinking, he had taken her by surprise.

"Sorry Betty…" His thrusts slowed briefly, until he could feel her relax around him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he grabbed her ass to hold her up as their bodies rocked together.

"I'm so close…" he moaned in her ear. Wanting to finish this ride together, she slipped her hand between their bodies and pushed her thumb against her clit. She screamed as waves of pleasure overtook her body, and she felt him fill her with warmth.

They stood there, still together, for just a moment, before he slid out of her and she let out a gasp.

"Jughead Jones the 3rd, I love you."

"I know." He said, slipping his tongue inside her mouth, "I love you too, Elizabeth Cooper."


	4. Chapter 4

After a few short hours of blissful quiet at the Veronica and Archie's, Betty and Jughead had returned to her parents for Thanksgiving dinner. She was surprised that there was no judgement from her parents as to where they had been last night, or why Betty looked slightly green in the face. She watched though, as her parents looked at Jughead with the same adoration they had a few days ago, and marveled at how interested they seemed to be in his life in California. He told them stories of his regulars at the bar, how his novel was coming, and even mentioned how him and Betty were hoping to adopt a dog from the shelter when they got back.

Settled in next to her sister Polly on the couch after dinner was finished and the dishes done, Betty leaned her head on her sister's shoulder, watching as the twins played with a Lego City set Hal had bought for them.

"It's nice having you here, Bets. I feel like you miss so much of their lives, of mine, with you being so far away. I know you don't want to, but think about all the possibilities this job would give you. Watching Ella at gymnastics, Jason's baseball games, picking them up from school, sleepovers. These are the things you're missing." She leaned her head back to look up at her sister, seeing the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

"Pol, I think about that all of the time. I feel like I don't know them, and they don't know me, when I come home. I can't believe how tall they are, I swear they grew a foot last year alone. I just don't know. There's so much here, I feel like its suffocating, everyone has this image of who Betty Cooper was in high school, and that's not who I am today." She stirred on the couch, as she realized Jughead had come back into the room from the kitchen, where he'd been talking with Hal.

"Betty, do you want to go for a walk?" He reached down to grab her hand, pulling her from the couch and grabbing her jacket as he headed for the door.

He walked silently for a few minutes, holding her hand as they walked the streets of their youth. It was chilly out, and she nestled closer to his side, linking her arm around his.

"Jug, I don't know how I feel anymore. I thought so much I didn't want to be back here, and now I can't remember why I hate this place so much. Even my parents are different. Sure, my mom's made some backhanded comments, but I feel like she knows how much she's pushed me away, and she's trying to make it up to me. And what in the world is going on with you and my dad?"

"I've always been a Hal Cooper fan, the way he stands up to Alice. He's fiercely protective of you, B. He always has been. Remember when he didn't tell you that his grandfather was a Blossom, or that time he fired your mom from the Register? He's been more of a father figure to me than even my own father over the years. Betty, I know you're toying with the idea of coming back here, of taking that job. I just don't know if I can come back with you. Its one thing hiding out in your bedroom at your parents house, or spending time with Archie and Veronica, but this town is not nice to me, not after what happened with my dad. Do you remember what my junior and senior year was like? Sheriff Keller followed my car home too many nights, and Principal Weatherbee and I had weekly meetings in his office. They were always waiting for me to slip up, for me to make a mistake so they could send me back to Southside High. Being in California, I can forget all of that, I'm not living in the shadow of my father there. But here, here I am, even though he's not here anymore. I don't ever want to hold you back, I don't ever want you to feel like you're missing out on your life by being with me, but I don't know if I can move back here."

"So you're making me choose, Jug? My family or you? That hardly seems fair, you are my family." She pulled back slightly from his arm. She remembered what high school had been like for him, especially after his father had gone to prison for his part in the coverup of Jason Blossom's murder. Jughead had suffered the wrath of judgement that his father deserved, even after his father was released and moved to Toledo one month before graduation.

"Betty, I'm not making you chose. I'm just telling you, I can't live in this town. And you, is this even what you really want? I see the way you flinch when your mother looks at you, before she even opens her mouth- you're expecting the worst. You are so fierce and free-spirited, she stifles you. Is this what you want, who you want to let yourself be, the perfect Riverdale Betty Cooper?" He walked back to the house, leaving her alone in the middle of the street. Tears filled her eyes, as she stood there, momentarily stunned by what had just happened. The kids and Polly had gone to bed by the time she made it back to the house, and she could hear her parents talking in the kitchen, but she snuck upstairs quietly, not wanting to hear their opinions on what she should do. She was thankful to see a Jughead sized lump under her covers, and she slid into the bed next to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, leaning her head on his shoulder. He reached for her hands, pulling her in closer, and soft tears fell to wet the old t-shirt he was wearing. _She couldn't make this decision._

* * *

Friday morning came, bright sun shining in through the lace curtains of Betty's old bedroom, and Jughead slid out of the bed, trying hard not to wake her. Her face was puffy, she had cried on his shoulder until she fell asleep. He knew he was wrong to make her choose, her family or him, but he couldn't see himself living back in this town, not after the torture the townspeople of Riverdale had put him through in high school. He had stolen their golden girl and defiled her, the boy whose mother left him and father was tied into a murder. He knew he had said hurtful things last night, he knew he couldn't force her to make the decision to stay in California, but he also knew he wasn't sure he could make a life for himself in Riverdale.

By the time he was done in the shower, she was awake, her hair falling lose around her shoulder, a dark sweater matching her dark jeans, looking like the girl from California that he loved so much. He crossed the room and pulled her into him, she leaned her head against his chest, finding that perfect spot where she fit into him like a puzzle piece. He could feel her body shake against his, soft muffled tears falling on to his t-shirt.

"Bets, you look beautiful." He breathed into her hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo, running his hands down her arms.

"I don't want to go to Archie and Veronica's. I just want to stay here with you." She leaned into him, pushing her body closer against his.

"I know, but its _Friendsgiving!"_ He groaned as he said the words, faking enthusiasm. "Veronica would come over here and pull us out of bed and drag us over there if we don't show." She pulled back from him slightly, and leaned her head back to look at him. His eyes stared down into her beautiful blue eyes that took his breath away, and he reached for her chin, pulling her closer to him, catching her lips on his.

* * *

"Happy Friendsgiving!" The beautiful raven-haired Veronica Lodge greeted them at the door to the condo that she shared with Archie Andrews. "Let me take your coats!"

He helped Betty out of her thick coat, and then tugged off his leather jacket, before handing them over to Veronica. He reached down for Betty's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, as they walked into the living room, where Kevin Keller was sitting next to Archie.

"Ugh, finally. Can we eat now that the Jones' are here?" Archie bounded up from the couch, into the kitchen where Veronica was pulling a turkey out of the oven, nudging into Jughead's side as he pushed past.

The friends gathered around the dining room table, five grown adults who had shared a lifetime of stories together.

"Can we all share one thing we're thankful for before we eat?" Archie asked, his eyes glancing around the table, taking in all of his closest friends, catching Jughead's eyes and giving him a small smirk. "I'll start- I'm thankful this semester is almost over, only 3 more weeks!" Veronica squeezed his hand, and he sat back in his chair. _Such a typical teacher response._

"I'm most thankful for all of you, and for finally being all under one roof, just the Inner Circle." Veronica turned to Kevin, who was beaming with excitement.

"I'm thankful I've been promoted to co-host of the RiverDaily!" Kevin had gotten a degree in broadcast journalism, and had been working as an executive assistant at the daily morning show in Riverdale for the past few years. His face was made for television, and he was always oddly energetic in the morning.

"That's great, Kev! You'll have to send us links so we can watch your show!" Jughead turned his glance to the blonde next to him, and noticed that the one hand he wasn't holding was curled tight into a fist, no doubt her fingernails cutting into her palms. He reached his other hand out to uncurl her palm, rubbing his fingers across the red marks that covered the old scars. She looked up to meet his eyes, only briefly, before she sighed and looked down at the table.

"I applied for the job at the high school. I sent my application over this morning."

He had barely heard the words come out of her mouth, her voice had been so quiet. But undoubtedly, the others at the table had heard her, because his thoughts were immediately over ran with screams and claps from the others, chairs crunching on wood as they all slid their chairs back, reaching up to pull her in. Her eyes glanced down at his, the welling of tears in her eyes. He felt like she had ripped his heart out and threw it on the table. Her hand reached out to his, but he pulled it away, pushing his chair back and stepping away from the table.

"Glad you finally made your choice, Bets." He said, as he stepped out of the dining room, grabbing his coat from the closet, and stepping out into the brisk fall air as he stepped towards the rental car. He didn't want to turn and look back at the door, he didn't want to see her running down the steps, out into the road, down the street, but he glanced back in the rearview mirror, to see a blob of bright red holding a blob of blonde in the middle of the street.


	5. Chapter 5

He drove all through the afternoon, stopping only to use the restroom, but it was still dark when he pulled into the driveway of the small blue house. The only light that came from the house was the soft glow of a TV in the front room, but as he approached the front door, the porch light flicked on. He stood there a moment, not sure what to do, how he had ended up here of all places, but before he could knock, he heard the door unlock, and then the light from the hallway poured out onto the front porch.

"Well, well, well. The prodigal son returns."

"Hey Dad." He looked up, to meet the eyes of the man who by definition was his father, but had been less than ideal growing up. His face was clean shaven, his hair peppered with more white than the last time he had seen him, his face looked weary and worn. His dad reached out, and pulled him across the threshold and into an embrace.

"It's good to see you, son. Where's that blonde of yours?" His dad leaned back against the counter in the small kitchen, a fresh pot of coffee brewing. Jughead reached into his pocket, and pulled out the small package he'd been carrying with him since he left California, and handed it to his father. "Jesus, Jug. This thing must have cost you a fortune." He watched as his father rolled the ring around in his hand, holding it close to inspect the craftsmanship.

"My book got picked up by a publisher, and they sent me an advance. I was going to give it to her tonight. Archie and Veronica had invited us over for _Friendsgiving_ , and we were telling things we were thankful for. But she came before me, and she said she's applied for a teaching job back in Riverdale. I don't know if I can move back there with her, back to the town that exiled me, you, our family. I don't know if I can build a life for me, for us, in that place. I panicked."

"Jughead Jones." He looked up to see his mother had entered the room, wrapped in a silk robe, her dark hair pulled up in a knot at the top of her head. "It's not the town or the girl, they can't exist only apart but not ever together. Sure, you live a different kind of life in California, but your roots have always been in Riverdale, no matter how terrible its seemed at times. I know I wasn't the best mother, but seeing you with her, Jug, makes me think I did something right. Is this really what you want, to let her go?"

His thoughts were interrupted, because at that moment, the front door slammed shut, he heard shoes hit the wall and a soft voice whisper "fuck", a little louder than he's sure she intended. "Whose car is here, gracing the Jones' presence at this late hour?" He heard the soft patter of her feet come down the hallway, laughter in her voice. "Ahhh, fresh coffee!" He turned to look as she stumbled into the room, a mess of brown curls, her too short skirt twisted, her black tights ripped and holy, her dark makeup smudged around her eyes.

"JB! Are you drunk?" His mother's voice was full of concern, but he detected a slight hint of a laugh in her expression.

Jellybean grabbed a mug from the cupboard, and stumbled to the coffee pot, spilling a little on the counter and laughing as she turned around, her eyes glancing around the room. He laughed as she realized finally that there were 3 other people in the room with her.

"I might be, but I might also be hallucinating." She leaned over closer to her mother and whispered, loudly, "Is that Jughead?!"

"Hey JB." He was having a hard time containing his laughter, but the little mess of a sister in front of him squealed and jumped up, spilling her coffee all over herself and the floor.

"As much fun as this little reunion is, you need to get some sleep, JB. Sleep it off, and we'll all talk tomorrow." Jughead was taken aback by his father's response. He had picked his father up from many bars, tucked him into bed on the couch too many times to count, but here he was, tucking JB in. "Tomorrow, Jug. I'll grab you a pillow and some blankets for the couch."

* * *

She awoke the next morning, still in the same clothes she had worn the day before, wrapped in a blanket on Veronica and Archie's couch. She had called him, so many times she lost count. No response. She had texted him, so many times she lost count. No response. Her eyes had welled up with tears, until she was reduced to a shaking mess on Veronica's kitchen floor. She didn't remember moving to the couch, she assumed Archie had carried her there after she passed out. Her whole body ached, her palms throbbed, red with fresh blood, but as she stretched and tried to get her bearings, Veronica appeared in the doorway, carrying a plate of toast and a mug of coffee.

"Bets." She crossed the room, running her fingers through her hair and holding her body close to hers. "I'm so sorry." There wasn't anything else to say. Jughead had more or less ran out on her before dinner last night, and no one had heard or seen from him.

"Ronnie, I'm sure he's fine. I'm sure he just needed a moment, to think through things. I'm sure he's fine." She just kept repeating that to herself, over and over and over. _I'm sure he's fine._ Trying to convince herself that she really did believe it. _I'm sure he's fine._ She sighed, wiped the black mascara from under her eyes, and pulled her hair up into a ponytail. _The perfect Riverdale Betty Cooper._ She couldn't make today about her, she couldn't focus on where Jughead may or may not have gone. Today was Veronica's day, and she needed to push through. _I'm sure he's fine._

She dutifully passed out door prizes, dutifully handed Veronica presents, dutifully wrote a list of names and presents, dutifully tied present bows together into a bigger bow. She dutifully smiled and laughed, holding her tears back as she watched her best friend beaming with true happiness. She dutifully avoided checking her phone. _I'm sure he's fine._

She had forgotten how exhausting it was being the perfect Riverdale Betty Cooper. She felt like she was living a different kind of life, watching herself from the outside as she laughed and mingled, acting like nothing was wrong, like Jughead was waiting for her in her childhood bedroom. _I'm sure he's fine._

But he was not. He was not there when she got back that evening. She glanced at her phone, taking only a brief moment to notice that he had not tried to reach her. When her parents asked why he didn't come home with her from the shower, she told them simply he'd wanted to stay and spend more time with Archie, that he'd meet her at the airport the following morning. _I'm sure he's fine._

But he didn't meet her at the airport the following morning. She watched, anxiously, hoping he would run to their gate at the last moment. He did not. She looked up to meet the eyes of every person who boarded the plane, but he did not. When the plane landed, she looked for him at the baggage claim, convincing herself he had come back a day early. He did not. She raced up the stairs of their apartment building, hoping when she pushed through the door, he would be waiting for her. He was not. _I'm sure he's fine._

She felt her heart tearing into a million little pieces. Everything in the apartment smelled of him, the blanket he kept for her on the couch, the almond milk in the fridge, the grey towel hanging on the rack in the bathroom, the slew of 'S' shirts in his dresser drawer. She spent the rest of her Sunday curled in a ball in one of his dirty flannels, and let the rush of emotions over take her.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks for all of the favorites/follows and reviews! Much appreciated! And to the guest reviewer who I ruined, I'm so sorry. Grab your Kleenex.**

* * *

Betty woke up on Monday morning, determined. It had been 2 days since she had heard from Jughead. She'd even tried Archie, who said he'd let her know if he talked to him. She called his parents in Toledo, but FP told her he'd only called on Thanksgiving. She had called into work, taking the rest of the week off, something Betty Cooper had never done before. She threw her hair up into a knot, and threw on one of his flannels over an old pair of jeans. She hadn't showered in 2 days, she smelled like something awful, but looked like something worse. She found herself walking the streets of Laguna Beach, the salt air mixing with her salt tears.

She wasn't sure where she was headed, what her plan was, but she realized where she needed to be as soon as she looked up, feeling the pull of magnetism. She pushed through the door, her feet sticking to the floor. The lights were dim, no one else was around. She stepped towards the bar, when she heard a voice from the back.

"We don't open until 12. You can stay, but I can't serve you for another 30 minutes." She looked up, bewildered and confused, and met the face of a tall, older man, dressed simply in a dark long sleeved t-shirt and jeans. "Oh, Betty…"

"James, is Jughead here?" The gentlemen looked over at her, taking in her appearance, the dried mascara marks on her cheeks. He reached for a glass, filling it with ice and whiskey, before sliding it across the bar towards the beautiful blonde, who was looking slightly less than bedraggled.

"Betty?" His face was filled with concern and confusion, Betty could tell he was trying to work through something in his head.

"James, where is Jughead?" Her tone was more forceful, the look on his face told her he knew something she didn't know.

"Betty. He called me on Saturday and quit. He said he wasn't coming back to California."

She sat stunned for just a moment, not looking up to meet James' face, not looking at the half drank glass he had placed in front of her. Suddenly, like an ocean wave, everything hit her all at once. _He was not coming home._

* * *

It was dark when she found her way back to the apartment that she had once shared with Jughead Jones. She sat for hours on the couch, staring at the TV they had watched countless hours of Netflix on, a vase on the coffee table they had picked up together from Ikea. She found herself standing in the bedroom they had once shared, the white curtains that had blocked out the sun on many a sleepy morning, the mirror he had watched her fix her hair in after every shower they took together.

She lost track of how many days she sat there in that apartment, not showering, not eating, not moving. Veronica had called her several times, sent several urgent text messages, but there was no point in replying. Veronica and Archie already knew what Betty Cooper knew- Jughead Jones was gone.

Her heart ached, her head ached, her arms ached from being so tightly clenched around her knees. Her whole world had collapsed in on her, and she couldn't bring herself to make a move. She had blocked Veronica and Archie's number, wanting to tune out the rest of the world as she sat in her little personal hell of an apartment. She sat in silence, not sure if she was asleep or awake, breathing or dead. She just sat, in an old flannel and a pair of sweatpants she had found in the dirty laundry. She just sat.

* * *

She was sure she was asleep, because the noise jolted her, and she jumped from the couch. Her heart raced as she reached for her phone, the first point of human contact she had had in almost 4 days, as the calendar on her phone told her it was now Thursday. She glanced down, recognizing the area code, but not the phone number.

"hello." Her voice was quiet, barely a whisper, she hadn't spoken in days and her throat ached from crying.

"Hello, I'm trying to reach Elizabeth Cooper." The voice on the other line was excited and perky, and Betty instantly wanted to throw the phone at the TV that sat silently in front of her.

"This is." Her voice still rasped, and she struggled to regain her thoughts.

"Hi, Elizabeth. My name is Alison Morris, I've taken over for Principal Weatherbee at Riverdale High School. We've reviewed your application, as well as previous pieces you've published, and we'd like to offer you the position in our English department, if you're still interested. You come highly recommended from our music teacher, Archibald Andrews…" her voice trailed off, Betty struggled to grasp what this Alison women was saying, what was happening. She had been holed up in her apartment for days, no contact with the outside world, and she felt like she was drowning trying to comprehend the phone call.

"Elizabeth, are you still there? If you're interested in the position, it will start after the first of the year. I understand you're coming to us from California, if you're able to come a few days before Christmas vacation, we can work out all of the details of your employment before the holiday break."

* * *

The following week, Betty was grading her students' final essays for the semester, submitting final grades. She was struggling to pull herself out of the hole she had dug, throwing herself into end of the semester things that needed to be done. She submitted her letter of resignation, apologizing for leaving in the middle of the school year. Her landlord seemed sympathetic when Betty explained why she needed to break the lease early. She only heard his voicemail once a day. _An improvement_ , she thought, compared to the 67 times she had heard his voicemail the week before.

She spent the first week after the semester ended covered in cardboard boxes and shipping tape. What she couldn't ship to Riverdale, she took to the donation center. She sold the truck they had bought together to a used car dealership, just a small amount of money to start her life over with. What had belonged solely to Jughead- his vinyl collection, his movie collection, the Cephalon pans she had bought him for this last birthday after he had burned the spaghetti and ruined the pan because he had gotten distracted by her, she shipped to an address in Toledo.

On Wednesday, she sat alone in the apartment she had once shared with the love of her life. Every resemblance of habitation was gone, no couch, no bed, no TV. Tomorrow morning, she would walk out the door, board a plane back to Riverdale, and try to start her life over again. The empty apartment seemed to tease the empty whole that was her heart, and her body was racked with trembling, shaking sobs. She let the darkness over take her, the darkness in the apartment, in her heart, in her life. She spent her last night in California curled up half asleep on the kitchen floor, simply because there was nowhere else for her to go.

* * *

On Thursday morning, she walked into Riverdale High School for the first time since graduation. The school was a buzz, it was the last day of classes before the semester ended, and the students seemed electric with excitement about the holiday break. She felt like she was still in a fog, watching herself from afar, going through the motions. Packing up the apartment she had once shared with Jughead Jones, flying by herself back to Riverdale. She had gone straight from the airport to the high school, no one knew she was here. She hadn't bothered to call her parents, Veronica or Archie. She didn't need to hear the " _I told you so's"_ from her parents, and she couldn't hear the excitement in Veronica's voice when Betty would ask her if she could stay for a few weeks until she found a place of her own.

She completed the paperwork, signing on the lines as needed, but she was still lost in her own head. Her heart ached. She had never dreamed of returning to Riverdale, and here she was. It had been a month since Jughead Jones had walked out of her life and drove away, not bothering to turn back around, but she still felt the same as she did when Archie picked her up from the middle of the road. She knew she was standing, she knew she was walking, she knew she was talking, but she wasn't aware of how she was standing, walking, talking. Her body was on autopilot, moving through the motions, breathing and keeping herself alive, but her heart wasn't pumping blood to her system, her brain wasn't firing neurons. She was a robot, created only to stand and walk and talk.

Her robot body piloted the car, that took her to the small condo in downtown Riverdale. She was thankful school didn't let out for another few hours, she knew she would only be greeted by her raven-haired best friend when she knocked softly on the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Veronica Lodge opened the door, taking in the sight of Betty, her face gray, eyes swollen from tears and lack of sleep. She looked thinner than she had a month ago, her clothes falling from her small frame. She glanced down, to see the small duffle bag Betty Cooper was carrying in her hand, a small backpack on her back. She reached out, grabbing her small hand, and pulling her in across the threshold.

She sat with Betty on the couch for hours, the only noise the soft tears that fell from the beautiful blonde's face. Veronica had brought her coffee, but it had long ago gone cold. Veronica held her close, a blanket wrapped tight around Betty's shoulders, and ran her fingers through her hair. The room darkened as the sun set, but Veronica did not move to turn on a light, sitting with her friend in the dark and quiet. She was unaware of how long they had sat there, how late it really had gotten, until she heard the soft click of the locked door, the door creaking, soft paws running across hard tile, two voices boldly breaking the silence.

* * *

Betty stirred, the blanket falling from her shoulders. Veronica released her arms from around her, or Betty pushed them off, she wasn't sure. Through the fog, she had heard a voice. A voice calling out, saving her from her insanity. She glanced around the room, her wide eyes trying to find the voice in the dark. Tears welled in her eyes, spilling over as she called out in response to the voice. "Jughead." So soft, her voice barely a whisper. She called out again. "Jughead." A soft mass rushed past her hand, as she groped trying to find her way in the dark. "Jughead." She called out again, hearing her own voice this time.

The brightness was overwhelming. She closed her eyes, letting the yellowness flood over here, seeing spots and blurs even through her closed eyelids. "Jughead." She whispered softly, almost to herself, her eyes still tightly closed, not wanting to wake up from her dream. She had heard his voice. But it had only been a dream. She felt her legs give way beneath her. Her body had finally stopped. Stopped standing. Stopped walking. Stopped talking. Her eyes still tightly closed, she knew she was no longer upright, but before her knees crashed beneath her, hard arms engulfed her, holding her up.

Her eyes still closed, she breathed in deeply. Something overtook her. It had been almost a month since she had heard his voice, and in 25 years, she'd never been that long without hearing that sweet sound. When his laughter had interrupted her silence, it had kick started everything that had been stopped within her. She was suddenly hearing everything- the sound of keys falling to the floor, heels on tile, something was panting. She smelled burgers, used books and authentic leather. And something she couldn't quite place, a body wash she had long ago forgotten the smell of. She leaned in to the hard arms that were holding her, her eyes still tightly closed. She exhaled, opening her eyes to the sights around her. Bright light shown from the overhead chandelier, a small wiry, white blob ran past her fast. She glanced up at the owner of the hard arms that still tightly held her in place, keeping her from falling to the floor. Her eyes were still adjusting, still blurred from tears, but she saw a shot of red. She pulled back, her brain not firing as fast as her feet were moving, and her knees fell backwards onto the leather couch behind her. Her head whipped back from the impact, the cushions engulfing her. "Jughead." She whispered, once more, so soft she couldn't hear her own voice, the word fell out of her mouth like a breath. She had heard his voice. But he wasn't here. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to hold back the tears that spilled over onto her cheeks.

* * *

Soft voices came from the kitchen, pulling her back into the world she was trying to push away. She had heard his voice, she was sure of it. Or she had finally fallen off the cliff she had been teetering on for the last month, and was only hearing his voice in her head.

"I didn't know she was here. I didn't know she was coming back."

"How can you not have known this? You got her the job that brought her back."

"I didn't know. I promise, Ronnie, I didn't know."

"Does he know?"

"No, I don't think so. I hung up the phone as soon as I heard her say his name."

"Arch- he's going to find out soon. That small white blob is his dog. He'll be here any minute for dinner."

"What should we do? Tell her to leave? Tell her she can't be here?"

"ARCHIE ANDREWS! HAVE YOU SEEN THAT GIRL! SHE IS BROKEN- I AM NOT SENDING HER AWAY. You two- YOU did this. FIX IT." The words were not registering in her brain, which was still struggling to fire neurons. Her body shook as another wave of tears hit her, what did Archie Andrews have to do with Jughead leaving her?

"It was a flawless plan, V. I didn't know she'd already applied for the job, or I would have rearranged the order."

"No, Archie, don't try to pass this off on her. You need to get back on the phone, and call that boy of yours, and figure out what you're both going to do about this. And now, before she finds out."

The conversation in the kitchen ended, she could hear the soft heels click on the tile, leading back down the hallway to the room she was sitting in. She closed her eyes, wanting to wish this all away, letting the darkness overtake her.

* * *

Her body had finally given up. She laid on the couch, curled in a ball, for hours she was sure. She had felt hard arms around her, lifting her and carrying her, but she didn't open her eyes to see, she couldn't feel anything anymore. Her heart had been ripped, and shredded and she had lived on the edge for the past month, finally giving up all hope, and just letting herself fall. She sank into the arms that held her fragile and frail body. She felt her body slowly lowered down, soft cushions underneath her again. She still didn't open her eyes, still didn't face the world that had become her reality. She felt the cushions rumble under her, a soft swaying motion took over. She heard the soft murmur of an indie rock station, the soft pattering of something hard against something soft. She leaned her head back further into the cushions, and breathed in the scent of something fresh, clean, new. She kept her eyes closed, her dreams were better than reality. In her dreams, she heard his voice. In her reality, he was gone. The soft hum, the soft sway of the cushions, stopped after a few minutes, and all went quiet. She laid on the cushions, still curled in a ball, unwilling and unable to move, to open her eyes. She felt the hard, gentle arms envelope her again, lifting and carrying. Soft scurrying, the sound of keys in a door, the smell of vanilla and musk. She kept her eyes closed, her body limp. She felt the hard arms lower her down, the smell of suede and leather pulling her in, the soft feel of another set of cushions, pillows, blankets. She laid still, her body not moving, too tired from a month of fighting every emotion to feel anything anymore. Her eyes still closed, she felt her body sink, feeling a sense of safety and security. For the first time in a month, her whole body relaxed, stretching and letting go of the tension she had been carrying. Her eyes still closed, she started to drift softly off to sleep. She hadn't slept solidly in a month, only short bursts of passing out after crying. She was dreaming, sweet dreams where she heard his voice, blankets pulled up over her, a soft kiss on her forehead.


	8. Chapter 8

He sat in the recliner across from the couch, coffee in hand, watching the soft rise and fall of her chest. What in the world had he done. She looked so frail, so fragile, so broken. When he carried her in his arms, he could feel her bones, her arms and legs just bones covered in flesh, she had withered away to almost nothing. He wondered the last time she ate, and ate a real meal, not the Kind bars or protein shakes he knew she ate in place of meals when she was stressed. His sweet Betty Cooper, vivacious and full of laughter and life, laying in front of him, looking like a corpse without a coffin. What in the world had he done.

The soft white blob came bounding into the room, pulling his attention from the sleeping form in front of him. The small white terrier gave a soft whimper, and then ran from the room. He stood up from the recliner and followed the little dog out of the room, the chair clicking softly as it rocked.

* * *

Swish, swish, swish. The noise was so soft, at first, she didn't hear it, the noise waking up her mind. She struggled to place it, a soft movement, something soft against something soft. She stretched, taking in a deep breath, breathing in vanilla, and that other smell, something musky. Her body was still struggling in robot mode, trying to place the sound that woke her, the musk smell. She tugged softly on the blanket placed over top of her, that musk smell overtaking her again. She opened her eyes, the last thing she remembered was that blur of red, but now she was surrounded by dark. She blinked, nodding her head and sitting up, unsure after all this time if her eyes were actually opened, or if this was all a dream. That musk smell.

She sat upright on the soft cushions, struggling to get her bearings. She heard a noise, something of a click, and then a twist and a louder click. Soft paws on hard floors, bare feet on hard floors. She turned her head, the moon shining in through a window, silhouetting a tall, brood figure standing in the doorway to the room she was in.

The figure said no words, crossing the darkness between them, dipping low to sit beside her on the cushions, firm arms reaching out for her frail arms, pulling her in, her head falling to the figures chest. She nuzzled against the hardness, breathing in a smell that made her whole body become alert. Her hands made tight fists into the shirt the figure was wearing, her body collapsing again, falling, shaking, trembling. A soft sound escaped her lips, as she felt the darkness overtake her. "Jughead."

* * *

He sat there, holding her trembling body against his, until her shaking had slowed and her breathing was calmer. She didn't speak again, her tears had stopped, but for hours, her body had trembled and shook against his, her fists gripping into the sides of his shirt. The clock in the kitchen read 4AM, he slowly lowered her body back down to the couch, grabbing another blanket to wrap around her slim frame.

He sat across from her again, watching her breathing from the reclining chair. He watched her, relieved to be in the same space as her, but pained to know what his decision had done to her. She looked like a shell, like her body was only going through the motions. She was his everything, so full of confidence and love and kindness, and he had torn through her until there was nothing left, leaving her with nothing to hold on to. He sat, not sleeping, only watching the steady rhythm of her breathing, his phone buzzed quietly in his pocket, and he stepped away from the room, away from the couch.

"hello." Trying to keep his voice a whisper, he didn't want to wake her, he stepped through the kitchen and out the back door to the small patio.

"Jug- I'm sorry to call you so early. How is she?" The soft voice of his sister, JB, broke through the early morning air. It was cold enough to see his breath, and he wrapped the flannel he was wearing around himself tighter.

"JB. I think I broke her. I know we said this was best, not telling her, just coming here, a big romantic gesture waiting for her when she returned to Riverdale. But JB- this wasn't the right choice. I don't know if I can fix this, if I can fix us. I think I waited too long. There's no way she's going to forgive me for this."

"It's Betty, Jug. You have always been the most important person in her life, she loves you, unconditionally, despite everything you have been through. Give her a few days, give her some time, she'll see the good in the choice you made. Do you still have it?"

"Of course I do." His hand instinctively went to the front pocket of his jeans, rubbing the small box had become almost a comfort for him this past month. "But I can't just give her a house and a dog and a ring and expect her to forgive me so easily for all the hurt I caused her when I left. You haven't seen her, J, it's awful."

"Jug- I've got to go. I'll see you in a few days. It'll be fine, even if it doesn't seem like that right now." He sat in silence for a few moments, watching the morning sun dance off a fresh layer of snow. What was he thinking, she would never forgive him for this.

He stepped lightly back into the house, as quiet as he could, trying not to wake the sleeping beauty on his couch. But as he clicked the door locked behind him, and turned around, he heard a soft voice, barely more than a whisper, and looked up to see her standing in the kitchen doorway, wrapped in a blanket.

"Juggie?"

"Bets." His voice was as soft as hers, and he stepped across the kitchen to her, but before he reached out to her, her soft voice broke through the air.

"I woke up and you weren't there. I thought you were a dream…" Her voice trailed off, tears poured from her eyes, he watched her chest heave, her knees shake, and reached her just in time before she collapsed.

"Betty, you need to sit down." He guided her over and sat her on a barstool by his kitchen island, pulling the blanket up tighter around her. He moved away only briefly, to make a pot of coffee and place a few pieces of bread in the toaster oven. He glanced back at her, a vacant look on her face, staring at the countertop before her.

"Where are we? Toledo?" The confusion on her face almost made him laugh, but she was too broken for him to joke with right now. He didn't answer her question right away, instead he poured a mug of coffee, adding in her creamer, smearing strawberry jelly on a piece of toast, before placing the plate in front of her, leaning on the counter across from her.

"No, Betty. We're still in Riverdale. In my house." In our house. But he couldn't say those words to her, instead watching the look on her face, as she struggled to comprehend the words he was saying.

"You have a house? In Riverdale?"

"I do."

"And a dog?"

"I do. His name is Hotdog." The little white terrier bounded into the room, pulling at the blanket that was wrapped tight around Betty. He watched, as she leaned down, and picked up the small dog, watched as Hotdog buried himself in Betty's blanket, watched as she tore off a piece of her crust to offer to the shaking blob of white on her lap.

"Hotdog." He heard her whisper, the slightest tinge of a laugh in her voice. "Why are you here?" She turned to face him, her eyes looking up to meet his. He could see the anger and confusion coming over her face, needing to know the answers to all of the questions she had.

"Betty."

"Jughead. Why are you here, in Riverdale?" She gripped the edge of the counter, he could feel her body tensing with anger.

"Betty, I'm here because of you."

"No. You don't really mean to tell me, that while I was in California packing up the life that we had together, you were here? In the one place you told me you'd never go back to? WHY are you here?"

"Betty, please. You need to eat, you need to rest. We can talk about this later."

"No, Jughead. We can talk about this now. Why are you in Riverdale?"

He moved to sit down at a barstool across from her, leaning across the counter to touch her hand. She pulled away slightly. I guess that's fair. He stared at her face for a moment, taking in all of her pain, all of the hurt he had caused her.

"Betty. I'm here because of you. Because seeing you with your sister, with Veronica and Archie and Kevin, seeing how excited you were about that job. I knew you would come back here. But I also knew if I went back to California, that I wouldn't come back with you. I couldn't go back to our life in California, and then uproot it for this place. So I stayed. I let you go. And I stayed here, the one place I knew you would come back to. Because I know you, you can fight it and deny it all you want, but you will always come back here."

"Are you kidding me? You've been sitting in a house in Riverdale for the last month, waiting for me to come back to you? You think you can leave me, leave me alone to pack up our life in California, and then just pick me up from Archie and Veronica's and take me back to your little house and your little dog and think I'll just forgive you? I waited a month for you. I waited a month to hear from you, to know if you were even alive. Jughead- you left me."

"Betty, please." He watched as she got up from the barstool, letting the blanket that had been wrapped around her fall to the floor.

"No, no." He stood in silence, watching from the hallway, as she walked out the front door and out into the cold morning air.


	9. Chapter 9

Riverdale is small, and Betty drove for only just a moment before realizing exactly where she was, and turned her car in the direction of her parents. She couldn't go back to Archie and Veronica's, there was something more that they knew, and she had to admit she felt a little betrayed that they knew Jughead was in Riverdale this whole time and hadn't told her. Just a few minutes after she'd left Jughead's house, Betty found herself in the living room of her childhood home.

The house was quiet, Polly, her mother and the kids were gone, she could hear only her father in the kitchen. She clicked the door shut behind her and stepped into the living room.

"Dad?" She called out, breaking the silence, her voice seeming to echo through the hallways.

"Betty?" Her dad came around the corner, dishcloth in hand, a look of confusion and concern on his face. "What are you doing here?"

"Dad- I took a job at the high school. I start after the first of the year. I was going to stay with Archie and Veronica until I can find a place, but I was hoping I could stay here instead."

"Betty. Have you talked to Jughead?" His eyes were deceiving, as much as her father tried to look like he was glad to see his daughter, glad to see she had moved home, his eyes told her he knew something she didn't.

"He left me. When he found out I applied for the position, he left me. He let me go back to California, didn't answer my calls or texts for a month. A month I didn't hear from him. I packed up our life alone, everything we had out there, gone. And then I come here, only to find out he's been waiting for me to move back here this entire time, thinking he can just come in and sweep me off my feet. Dad, please."

"Today, Betty. Only tonight. You've spent the last 9 years building your life with that boy, you're not just going to throw that all away because he made a stupid choice."

"It was a whole month, dad." Tears welled in her eyes. Why is everyone siding with him?

"I know Bets, I know. I'm not saying you need to forgive him over night, I'm only telling you to talk to him, to try to see his side of things. He loves you, he's always loved you, and I know you feel the same way about him. Don't let go of what you have with him."

She stepped away from her father, and found herself in her childhood bedroom at the top of the stairs. She saw Jughead climbing in through the window, laying on her bed, pacing the room working on an article for the Blue and Gold. He was everywhere, it felt like she couldn't escape him. She laid down on the bed, pulling the blanket that lay at the foot of the bed up over her, closed her eyes, and let the darkness take over again. Her body shook and trembled, tears running down her face. He had been here the entire time, and everyone knew but her. She felt like her whole world, all of her friends and family, had turned against her, and were protecting him for some reason, justifying his actions for leaving her and ghosting from her life, from their life together.

She stayed in her room the rest of the day, not coming down for dinner. Polly came and brought her up a plate, but Betty was sleeping so it had sat on the bedside table. It was dark out when she opened her eyes, overtaken with a feeling of coldness, so alone in the dark of her old bedroom. The events of the last month seemed to replay in her mind, all of the tears she had cried came back to her until there was nothing left. She could lay here and sob and cry for days, but that wouldn't change the decision he had made. The only thing she could control, was how she reacted to the truth.

She slipped quietly out the front door, not bothering to leave her parents a note. When they woke in the morning and saw she was gone, she was sure they'd know where she was. She pulled out her phone, seeing that it was already 2 in the morning, she hoped he was still awake.

 _I don't know where we live._ She sat in her car, in her parents' driveway, and waited for a reply.

 _Just leaving work. Meet me at Pop's._

* * *

He sat in their usual booth by the window, anxiously awaiting both the arrival of food and the beautiful blonde that he loved. The blonde arrived first. He watched as she pushed open the door, her long blonde hair flowing down her back, her eyes looked tired and swollen. She'd been crying again.

He stood up to greet her, wanting to grab her and kiss her in the middle of the diner, but he couldn't push her, couldn't rush back to the way things were. He was pleasantly surprised though, when she slid into the booth next to him, creating very little distance between them. She had just settled in, putting her purse by the window beside him, when the waitress came out carrying plates of food. Burgers, fries, onion rings, a vanilla and a strawberry shake.

"I wasn't sure which one you wanted. And I figured it'd been a few days since you ate." He didn't look up at her, watching only as she reached for the strawberry shake and drank almost half of it in one gulp.

"You made me toast this morning." She said, he sensed a little hint of laughter in her voice. "But I don't remember the last time I had a full meal. I've been surviving off Kind bars and Ritz Crackers."

At that, he laughed. Of course, she was. Betty had this weird obsession with the little chocolate bars, covered in nuts and fruit, they were nothing short of a glorified candy bar.

"Well, the food is for you, I had a burger at the bar earlier." He slid the plate of food in front of her, watching as she inhaled almost an entire burger in one bite. They really were made for each other.

"You said you were working? Did you get a job at the Whyte Worm?" She flinched almost when she said the word, the Whyte Worm was a seedy biker bar on the Southside of town that his dad had frequented when he lived in Riverdale.

"No, I took a job working at Sweetwater. Fred was thankful to have me and get his sleep back. He works the days and I work the nights." She had finished her second burger, and started onto the basket of fries, covering a little corner of the basket with ketchup.

"And Hotdog?" Dipping a fry in the ketchup, she turned to look at him, and his heart skipped a beat.

"We've only been together about 2 weeks. I wanted to wait until you were back, until things were settled, but when I saw him at the shelter, he looked so hopeless and lost, he reminded me of myself."

She finished the fries in silence, asked for a refill on her shake. He didn't need to hear her voice, didn't need to touch her, having her just be in the same space as him was enough right now. He knew they had a long road ahead of them, a lot to work through, but he was thankful for this small step. After she finished her second shake, he slid out to pay the bill at the counter, reaching for her hand instinctively, but her hands were thrust in the pockets of her coat.

"You can follow me back. I have a key at the house for you." He watched her, as she slid into her car, watched her in the review mirror all the way back to his house. Back to their house. He didn't ever want to let her go again

 **A/N- so sorry for the delay and the short chapter, this week has been crazy!**


	10. Chapter 10

She awoke the next morning to little kisses on her nose, little nibbles on her ear. As she opened her eyes, it took her a moment to get her bearings, the little white dog shaking on her chest with excitement. She sat up, moving Hotdog to the side, and saw she was alone in a bedroom. Dressers, vanity, bedside tables, tan and white bedspread, navy throws. He had planned on her coming back, because everything was almost exactly the same as their bedroom in California. Except for the little white dog that was now running in circles across the king-sized bed.

She set her feet on the ground, feeling the plush tan carpet under her toes, stretching and breathing in the new day. Outside of the warmth of the bed, she was chilly, wearing only a t-shirt and shorts. She wasn't sure where she had left her clothes, the bags she had brought from California. She remembered having them at Archie and Veronica's, but couldn't remember if they had come with her to Jughead's house.

She stepped over to a dresser, and started pulling draws open. The first one held socks and underwear, the second held t-shirts. She found jeans in the next one, and finally, sweat pants in the last one. She pulled on a pair, and headed to the closet where she grabbed a flannel, wrapping it around her and breathing in his scent. Fresh laundry and a hint of musk.

Her feet pattered lightly on the hard wood floors as she quietly walked down the hallway, and into the kitchen. The house had an open floor plan, and from the kitchen island, she could see him sleeping on the couch.

The pain she felt, the memories of the last month, still very much bubbled at the surface, ready to boil over at any minute. But underneath all of it, there was something else. He had told her he didn't want to move back here, that he didn't want to live their lives here, and yet, here he was. Waiting for her to come back, waiting for her to take the job. She wondered how long he would have waited, what would have happened if she would have said no to the job offer. But she knew, that he knew, she never would have said no. There was so much more to this town than just her family, just their friends. This town was where they'd grown up, together, where they'd fallen in love, together, where they'd felt like they could take on the world, together. This town was everything that held their relationship together, the foundation that they had built their love and their lives on. It didn't matter where they lived, what different kind of life they lived, Riverdale would always be there, always be their home.

The coffee pot beeped that the water was ready, and she watched as he stirred softly on the couch, stretching out his long limbs. She knew that Jughead Jones was handsome, but in the early morning hours was always when she felt he was most beautiful. His shaggy black hair curled and twisted, his dark lashes beating against his face as he struggled to open his eyes. Those beautiful grey eyes flashed open, the smell of coffee seemed to bring him to life.

"Morning, Bets…" His voice rasped as he sauntered into the kitchen. She grabbed a mug from the counter, filling it with coffee before handing it across the island to him. She slid into the space directly across from him, taking in his face and all of his beautiful morning glory, the sight of him in his sweat pants and dark grey t-shirt.

"Morning, Jug." She wanted to race around the island, mash her lips on his, become lost in his arms, forgetting everything that had happened over the last month. _Self-restraint, B._ "What's the plan for the day?"

"Well, I have an idea, but I'm not sure if you'll be up to it." She looked up to meet his eyes, saw flecks of gold dance in the grey, a smirk smeared across his face.

"That depends, you tell me what it is, and I'll tell you if I'm up for it." She raised one side of her mouth, smiling back at him, teasing him to push her further.

"Well. Christmas is in 4 days. And I don't have a tree yet. I thought we could go down by the river and cut one down. Maybe stop in town and pick up a few decorations, get this place looking festive."

* * *

He was like a little kid as they strolled through the store, looking at lights and tinsel and ornaments. She loved seeing his face light up over garland and star tree-toppers, picking out stockings for each of them. She had always kind of taken for granted Christmas at the Cooper house, but Christmas at the Jones had been very different when Jughead was growing up. They'd been through 9 Christmas's together, she'd even donated a box of decorations when she left California, but this felt new, different, fresh. A fresh start for both of them.

He drove his truck down by the river, parking it close to the trail that ran along the water's edge. They walked a good way, Hotdog running ahead and then running back, running circles around them as they walked. He loved playing in the snow, and he seemed to blend right in. A few times, he'd run off the trail and get lost in a snow bank, and come up a few yards away completely covered in snow.

She finally spotted it, a few yards off the trail. It was small, not much taller than her, but full and round, no missing holes or straggly branches. It took Jughead almost a half hour to cut it down with the hand saw, but they were soon dragging the tree back down the path that they had came. Once the tree was tied down in the back of the truck, Betty slid into the passenger's seat next to Jughead, and reached out to hold his hand. His fingers intertwined with hers, the rough calluses on his palms rubbing the hard scars on hers.

* * *

The long walk had taken a lot out of her, and they had barely made it back to the house before she had fallen asleep on the couch. One full night of sleep and two meals were all she'd had in the last month, and he wasn't surprised, she needed to rest, her body needed to recover.

He decorated the house while she napped, hanging lights on the tree and the stockings by the fireplace. When she opened her eyes later that evening, they seemed to dance and twinkle with the lights as she took in all the sights around her. He was careful with her, happy to just exist in the same space as her. He brewed her a pot of chamomile tea, passing her a mug as she slowly sat up on the couch. He moved to sit in the chair across from her, but the timer in the kitchen beeped and he stepped quietly from the room.

He pulled the pizza from the oven, placed it on the counter and reached for the slicer that was kept in the drawer. She was so quiet, he didn't hear her as she stepped into the room.

"It smells good, Jug." Her voice was quiet still, raspy from her nap.

"I was thinking about take-out from Pop's, but I didn't want to leave while you were still sleeping."

They sat in the living room, Betty flicking through Netflix before settling on reruns of _Friends_ , but it wasn't long before she had fallen asleep again. He carried her into the bedroom, covering her with the covers, before returning to the blankets and pillows on the couch.


	11. Chapter 11

They passed the next few days the same. Existing in the same space together, movies and coffee and shared meals. Sometimes she would hold his hand, sometimes kept them tucked into her sweatshirt. Sometimes she laughed, some mornings she woke up with puffy eyes. Sometimes she ate breakfast, sometimes she slept for hours.

It was on a morning when she woke with puffy eyes, he knew she had cried herself to sleep the night before, she was standing in the kitchen, leaning on the counter sipping her coffee, barely holding on. He had just walked into the room and greeted her, reaching for a mug for himself, when a knock at the door startled both of them. It took him just a moment, counting days in his head, before he remembered. He heard bags drop at the front door, and soft feet pad down the hallway.

"Hey Jug!" His eyes darted quickly to Betty, watching as she was pulled out of her haze, taking in the small brunette in front of her. "Betty!"

Jughead watched as JB stepped through the kitchen, reaching out for Betty, pulling her in close. He couldn't remember the last time the girls had seen each other, probably a few years ago when they visited his parents in Toledo. Betty had babysat JB a few times when they were younger, but she had moved with his mother to Toledo when she was 8, so they weren't close, but they both seemed to like each other. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Betty pull JB in closer, the smallest human reaction showing a hint of emotion.

"J- I'm really sorry. I forgot you were coming today. I've got to work for Fred this afternoon, but I'll be back around 5, the bar is closing early today. Mind keeping Betty company?"

"No, that'd be great Jug!" He watched, as Betty leaned back against the counter, sipping her coffee again.

"I don't do much, mostly nap, sometimes eat." Her voice had just a hint of laughter to it, and it made him smile. He struggled when he saw how broken she had become, how much of a shell of Betty Cooper she was, that small moments- when her eyes danced at the Christmas lights, when she joked about how much she slept, when she leaned on his arm when they watched a movie, gave him the smallest bit of hope.

"That's great, because after that drive, I'm exhausted!"

He slipped out the front door, glancing back to see the two girls settling in to watch a movie, sharing the space on the couch.

She wasn't sure how long she had napped; the movie had long ago ended she was sure. She couldn't even remember what movie they had turned on, or if they had even put on a movie. She got up from the couch, tried to be careful not to wake JB, but she wasn't on the couch anymore. Betty walked into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee, and saw JB sitting at a barstool on the island, leaning her head in her hands.

"JB." Betty's voice was quiet, but cut through the silence. JB looked up at her, and Betty was surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Betty. This was such a stupid plan. When you first got back, he told me how broken you looked, and I thought- no way does Betty Copper look anything less than perfect. But seeing you, I'm so sorry."

"Do you want to tell me what happened? Where did he get the idea that just staying in Riverdale and waiting for me to come back was a good plan?" She leaned her back against the counter, arms crossed across her chest.

"It was a joint effort. My dad and me. I guarantee Jughead never would have come up with it on his own. Everyone knew you would take the job as soon as you applied, there was no way they weren't going to offer it to you, the perfect Riverdale Betty Cooper coming home. My mom made him see that Riverdale was where your heart would always be, where you belonged, and that if he wanted to be with you, this was where you would be. This was where you would build a different kind of life, where you would raise your babies, where you would grow old. That the life you had had in Riverdale, wasn't the life you would have in Riverdale again, that the town was different, the people different, forgiving. She wanted him to fly to California, and help you pack up your lives before coming back here. You know my dad has a flare for the dramatics. He made it seem like a big romantic gesture. He said just agreeing to move back to Riverdale wasn't going to be enough, that Jughead had to convince you that he wanted to be here too, that he needed to have a life here too. So, my dad helped get Jughead a job at Sweetwater, I helped him find a house, told him to wait here for you to come back. And somewhere, in Jughead's twisted weird brain, he thought that sounded like a good idea. But I don't take credit for him not talking to you for a month, that one is all on Jug. I'm so sorry, Betty."

She sat in silence for a moment, her hands gripping tighter into her arms. "So, everyone knew? Your parents, my parents, Archie and Veronica? All those times I called you crying, and you knew?" She felt so betrayed, she knew Veronica and Archie had known Jughead was back in Riverdale, but fulling understanding that she was the only person in her world that didn't know, took over. She set her mug down in the sink, and walked out of the room, down the hallway, to the bedroom she had been sleeping in, shut the door, and collapsed on the bed, letting the darkness overtake her.

* * *

It was dark by the time he got back to the house, all of the lights were off, JB's car was gone from the driveway. He walked in through the door, thinking he was alone. He turned on the tree lights, and started a fire in the fireplace, creating a soft glow in the dark room. He started to make his way down the hallway into the kitchen, but he was startled by soft noises coming from the bedroom. He knocked first, not waiting for a response, and found Betty Cooper curled in a ball, soft tears falling from her face.

He crossed the room, scooping her up in his arms and cradling her. She tugged on the sides of his shirt, her hands twisting and balling into fists. Her body rocked back and forth and he ran his fingers through her hair, pulling her in close.

"I'm so sorry, Jug." He heard her soft whisper, the words taking him aback at first. _What did she have to be sorry for?_

"Betty. I should have told you. I should have told you everything." He reached down to hold her face, caressing her cheek, wiping away the tears that were falling. She glanced up with her big blue eyes, meeting his dark brown, and she leaned into him. He pulled her chin up, and lost himself when he found her lips with his.

He had meant it to be a sweet gesture, but her hands moved up to his hair, tugging and pushing off his beanie, pulling him in closer. Her teeth gently grazed his bottom lip, her tongue flicking softly across, begging him for entrance. He pulled her up into his lap, her knees parting and falling down beside his thighs. She rocked into him, the movement knocking him over and she fell on top of him. She pulled back, her eyes staring down into his, dark and intense. He moved his hands up to grab her ass, and she bucked into him, the feeling made him throw his head back into the pillow.

He sat up, finding her lips again, more aggressive than before, tugging up the bottom of the shirt she was wearing. She pulled away, and pulled the shirt off the remainder of the way, tossing it the floor before turning her gaze back to him. She wasn't wearing a bra, and the sight of her half bare before him brought out something primal he had been suppressing. He leaned up, grabbing one breast in one hand, placing his mouth on the other, peppering kisses and flicking her nipple. She moaned into him, pushing her chest closer to him and grinding her hips into his.

"Juggie." She sighed into him, his lips coming back up to cover her collarbone, finding that soft spot where it met her neck.

"Betty." She thrust her hips into him again, grinding her core on his erection, pushing through the hard denim of his jeans. "I need you," he said, with a sense of urgency, both needing to lose themselves in each other.

She leaned back, pulling on the zipper of his jeans. He leaned up to help step out of them, pulling on the waist band of her sweats, _his sweats_ , revealing a pair of black lace panties. He ran his fingers lightly across the band, snapping the elastic, before she reached down, teasing him before she pulled them off.

There was nothing sweet in the way he threw her onto the bed, plunging into her with a rapid motion. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, pulling him in closer, rocking her hips up to meet his thrusts. He wasn't delicate with her, as she dug her nails into his back, he was positive she was breaking through the skin. They both needed this, a month of emotions and pain coming to the surface all at once. The release was quick, her thighs quivering around his waist before he collapsed unto her body, sweat and tears falling from her face.

* * *

She laid there for a moment, her small frame snuggled close against his hard, brood frame, his arms wrapped around her waist. She leaned her head back against his chest, listening as his breathing slowed. She reached for his hand, squeezing it softly as she slid out of the bed, reaching for his flannel that had been discarded on the floor. She glanced back, meeting his eyes, a lazy smile spreading across his face.

"I need food." She whispered, as she stepped out of his view. Leaning back against the counter, waiting for the toast to be done, she reached and grabbed down two glasses of wine, finding a bottle of red on the counter. She marveled at the soft glow of lights, the soft fire that flickered into the room, lighting up the darkness. Lighting up the darkness that had been inside of her, a soft glimmer of light.

She danced softly to a song in her head, sipping from her glass as she spread the butter on her toast, startled when she turned around to see him watching her from the doorway. Her eyes glanced up to the clock above the oven, and her eyes danced as she handed him the other glass.

"Merry Christmas, Juggie." She breathed softly in his ear, her head resting on his chest, his arms wrapped around her waist.

* * *

Christmas Day passed as uneventfully like any other day. They had spent the morning lazily around the house before going to her parents for dinner, and then meeting Archie and Veronica for a milkshake after presents had been opened. He could sense the tension between them and Betty, Betty was still very upset that no one had told her where Jughead had been, even though everyone had known all along. Her hand squeezed his knee under the table, and he moved his hand to place overtop of hers. She was mostly silent, and seemed relieved when they parted ways with their best friends. He slept next to her in the bed that night, holding her close as her body shock and trembled until she fell asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Thanks for all the love- reviews/favorites and follows! 2 chapters tonight, because I'll be out of town until Monday! Enjoy!

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Almost a week had passed since Christmas. Some nights, Veronica and Archie came over for dinner. Some nights she didn't eat. Some nights, they made love. Some nights he held her while she cried. Some days she held his hand, some days she slept until 2PM and came out only to eat. He couldn't push her, couldn't tell her to snap out of it, because this thing that she was recovering, was entirely his own doing.

Somewhere over the course of the week, Veronica had explained herself to Betty. He assumed the two had mended things, because for the first time since she'd arrived in Riverdale, Betty spent an entire day out of the house. Veronica took her a few towns over, a day spent shopping for a dress for New Year's Eve, massages, blowouts and mani-pedis. She had told him she'd see him at Veronica and Archie's later that evening for the party, and that was where he found himself, back where this had all fallen apart.

He sat at the kitchen table with Archie and Kevin, twirling the small box over and over in his hand.

"Alright, one more time." Kevin said, his fingers tapping on the table.

"We can't mess this up again."

"Ok. 11:45, Kevin will…."

The plan was flawless, but they boys had thought it was flawless last time too. This time, they were sure they weren't going to mess this up. Kevin, Archie, Jughead. No giving Veronica or Betty a chance to speak, interject or throw a wrench in their plans. The plan was going to be perfect. They ran through things two more times, before the front door opened, and they were interrupted by heels on tile.

He looked up, meeting her gaze, taking his breath away. Her blonde hair was curled and flowing down her back, a black long sleeved sequined dress that hugged her curves and stopped mid-thigh, black heels clicking towards him. She leaned into him, tugging gently on his tie, pulling him close before leaning up to kiss his lips.

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Maybe it was the champagne. Maybe it was the massage, the mani-pedi, the feeling of feeling like a human again. Maybe it was the way his eyes bugged when he saw her walk into the room. But the way he looked standing there, dark jeans, dark grey button up, black tie, and that beanie covering his beautiful curls, she couldn't contain herself. He was so handsome, and he was only hers. She leaned into him, pulling him close and kissing his lips, intertwining her fingers with his.

Veronica had said just the Inner Circle tonight, and Betty was thankful to be surrounded by just her closest friends. It had been a rough few weeks, since they had all been together, back at this place, and she felt like she was finally over her darkness, climbing back out of her hole. She and Jughead had built themselves a different kind of life here in Riverdale, fallen into a new routine together. She had found herself having more good days than bad, more happiness than tears, thankful he was patient and understanding with her. He never pressured her, letting her take the first steps, letting her adjust to this new beginning.

She felt giddy, Veronica filling her champagne glass, dancing with her in front of the fireplace as the music blared and the boys looked on. Every so often, she would catch them glancing amongst each other, or catch just Jughead staring at her with a look that sent chills down her spine. She stole kisses from him each time she walked by.

It was almost midnight, when Kevin gathered them all around the fireplace, an unopened bottle of champagne. "We've been through a lot together, all of us, over the years, and we're staring down the start of another year together. A year of changes, a year of growth, a year of friendship. Tonight, I propose we all share our New Year's Resolutions with each other. I'll start. My resolution is to find the happiness that the four of you have found."

Kevin turned he gaze to Archie, who wrapped his arm around Veronica and pulled her to his other side, placing her away from Betty, so that he was standing next to Jughead. "My resolution is to spend more time in the recording studio, and produce my album." She watched, as he turned his attention to Jughead. Something felt off, forced, with this little skit the boys had prepared.

"Oh, me next!" Veronica interjected, but Archie cut her off.

"No, let Jughead go first." She caught the smirk that Archie had on his face, watched as Kevin's eyes beamed with excitement.

She felt her heart flutter as Jughead turned to look at her with those dark brown eyes. He reached for both of her hands, pulling her closer. "My resolution is for more than just this next year. My resolution is for all of the years yet to come. B- I will spend the rest of my life making up for the pain I have caused you. I have loved you since I could speak your name, and I will love you until my last breath. Betty Cooper, will you marry me?"

She felt her knees shake, heard Veronica's squeals, looked up to see Kevin and Archie's beaming faces, before her eyes glanced up to meet his. Down on one knee, a small black box in hand. She marveled for a moment at the beautiful rock that laid softly in the plush velvet, taking in the colors. Blue sapphires and yellow tourmaline (their birthstones, slightly modified) surrounded a single diamond that sparkled and shined up at her. _Of course, he picked out a Riverdale ring- blue and gold._

"Jughead Jones. Yes. Yes. Yes." He stood up, picking her up and twirling her around, kissing her passionately in front of their closest friends. Kevin popped open the bottle of champagne, small bubbles raining down on the group.

"It's time! It's time!" Veronica's voice rang out through the laughter, but Betty didn't pull herself away from Jughead, continuing to kiss him as her friends counted down to the start of the New Year, the start of a new life.


	13. Chapter 13

He woke early, the morning sun beating in thru the windows. He showered quietly, not wanting to awake the sleeping beauty that laid beside him in his bed. He didn't want to wake her, she looked so beautiful and peaceful. He sat back, watching her and taking all of her in. In a few short hours, they would return to the world they'd left behind. She'd braid her hair back, throwing on a pair of yoga pants and a long sleeved t-shirt and still look radiant. He had been in love with her since he was 5, but right now, in this moment, he didn't think he had ever loved her more. Her long blonde hair was twisted up into a knot, little curls and frizzes creating a halo around her head. Her long tanned legs stretched and curved around the blanket, which was haphazardly thrown over her. Her thin white tank top was bunched around her waist, the small of her back exposed where the shirt didn't meet the blanket, and he knew if she were to roll over, her breasts would be exposed through the thin material. She was an angel, an angel that had only ever been his.

Sitting here watching her, it was hard not to think back on the events of the last several months. Watching Betty fall into a routine teaching at Riverdale High School, her students loving her for her outspoken views, her laid back sense of style, her beautiful blond hair that fell around her shoulders. He was thankful for that, that Betty had remained firm in the person she became when they had lived in California, and she had managed to adapt that girl to Riverdale. They had created their own little life in Riverdale, dinner with the Andrews on Tuesday and Thursday, Sunday dinners at the Coopers, hikes in the woods with Hotdog. Some days he woke up just marveling at the happiness that they had found back in the town they had both dreaded.

He had loved having the summer off with Betty, school was starting back up in a few weeks. They'd been busy for most of the summer, only a few months had passed between the Andrews' wedding and their own. Betty had never wanted a long engagement, she hadn't even wanted a traditional wedding, but Alice and Veronica had insisted. He had fought both of them, Alice and Veronica, wanting them to listen to Betty when she told them that they only wanted a small ceremony, but seeing those doors open made him think they knew exactly what they were doing.

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 _Jughead stretched as the morning sun hit in through the windows, his legs hitting the hard frame that was Archie Andrews. Archie grumbled, and Jughead pulled the pillow over his face._ Why had he let Keller talk them into going out the night before the wedding? _The door to the hotel suite clicked open, and he struggled when he heard heels click across the tile. He sat up, about to remind Betty is was bad luck for the bride to see the groom before the wedding, when he was greeted by a raven-haired beauty with curlers in her hair, her small belly struggling against the silk robe she had tied around her._

 _"_ _Arch- it's your wife." Jughead elbowed Archie again, who grumbled again. "She looks scary."_

 _"_ _Tell her to let me sleep in."_

 _"_ _Oh no, boys. Up. I brought Bloody Mary's to cure your hangovers, room service sent up eggs and sausage, and you all need showers. Tuxes are on a rack out in the living room, let's go." She opened the blinds, letting the bright morning sun fill the room. The boys in the bed grumbled again._

 _"_ _Aren't you supposed to be taking care of the bride today?" Kevin's voice moaned from the bathroom, but Veronica only laughed._

 _"_ _Not this morning. You are my responsibility. Polly and JB are with Betty, Alice sent me to get you boys moving. I can go get JB if you'd rather, but you know how much she loves heavy metal in the morning…"_

 _"_ _Nope, nope. We're up." Jughead moved from the bed, pushing Archie to the floor as he kicked his feet._

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 _He had sat in the shower for a little longer than usual, letting the warm water and steam clear his head and his hangover. He was surprised to see Kevin and Archie already in their tuxes when he got out, and that Hal, Fred and FP had joined the little group. Hal had brought whiskey, and Jughead was very thankful for his soon-to-be father-in-law. Hal had lined up a series of 6 small plastic cups, and handed one to Jughead as he pulled on a white t-shirt._

 _"_ _Jughead Jones. When you called me in September and asked to marry my daughter, I told you I had always considered you like a son, and those words are still true today. Welcome to the family, officially, Jughead." The men raised their glasses, the whiskey burning as they drank it down._

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 _Standing at the altar, flanked by Archie and Kevin on one side, Veronica, Polly and JB on the other, his heart was racing. He felt like every moment of his life since Betty Cooper had come into it, had been leading up to this moment. Every kiss, every laugh, every milkshake, every tear, had been leading them here. His breathing stopped when the doors opened, and he saw her standing there next to Hal._

 _Her dress was a mermaid style, fitted and flaring out at the bottom, covered in lace and beading. Her blonde hair was curled and twisted up, her veil tucked in underneath her hair. He held her hands, staring into those blue eyes, watching soft tears fall from her face. Her hands were trembling when she slipped the ring on his finger, but she looked up, meeting his eyes, a smirk spreading across her face. He had leaned in to kiss her, maybe a little more passionately than was socially acceptable, because Archie and Kevin were coughing behind him. Her hands floated up, gripped into his hair, and he laughed when she pulled away._

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 _The evening had passed too fast, champagne and dancing and stolen kisses. He had carried her up to the hotel suite, they had jumped on the bed for a few minutes before collapsing into each other, laughs that became kisses that lead to something more._

 _There was something almost magical about the first time he had made love to her, as his wife. Thousands of times had came before it, but this, something had shifted. This was passionate and possessive, soft and rough, lingering and quick. Watching her move over top of him, pulling her hips down unto him, the curve of her back as she gripped the sheets on the hotel bed. He knew every part of her, and still it felt like he was discovering her for the first time._

 _Laying in a heap of twisted sheets and appendages, trying to catch his breath, he glanced over to see her, beautiful blond hair wisping and waving around her head, her bare chest heaving. She was everything and so much more._

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Their two weeks away in Hawaii had passed too fast. Surfing and hiking and kayaking and sleeping in, bikinis and sun dresses and luaus. He sat there, watching her sleep, not wanting to return back to the real world just yet, when her soft hand reached out from under the pillow to grab his.

"Juggie." Her voice was raspy, her hand pulling him in closer to her. "Come back to bed."

He slid into the space beside her, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. She sighed, wrapping her hands around his arms and leaning back further into him. He held her, watching as she slept softly, remembering only a few months ago when she didn't sleep, when she didn't eat, remembering the hurt he had caused her. A snap decision, he had paid dearly for. How he had ever managed to convince her to forgive him, he still wasn't sure. It was something about that town, that they had been both running from and running to. The place they avoided, and the place they were drawn back to. They had been happy in California, living in the land of sunshine and freedom, but Riverdale would always be there home, where they had built themselves a different kind of life.

He leaned down, kissing along her hair, whispering softly in her ear, "I love you, Elizabeth Jones."

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 **A/N: Thanks for all of the love! All of the favorites/follows and reviews are much appreciated!**


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